1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a safety device for collecting fluids for laboratory testing and, more particularly, to a safety device for collecting undiluted and uncontaminated blood samples for laboratory testing.
2. Discussion of the Invention
The use of hypodermic needles in collecting fluids and more particularly, blood samples, presents a danger of accidental needle sticks to anyone exposed to such needles. This is especially true for the individual taking the fluid or blood sample. After use, the hypodermic needle could be contaminated with a variety of disease-causing agents such as Hepatitis B virus or HIV, the virus which leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). These and other diseases can be transmitted to any person who is poked by a disease contaminated needle. Due to the hectic conditions often present in hospitals, one or more needles can often be found lying about in the presence of patients, blood donors and hospital personnel. Almost daily, reports of accidental needle stick injuries are communicated to the general public. Many times hospital personnel are required to have blood tests run after being punctured by an exposed, previously used needle in which case the costs of these tests are believed to be passed off onto hospital patients in the form of increased medical bills. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the dangers associated with needle stick injuries by eliminating the exposure to contaminated needles.
Often needle stick injuries occur when a nurse, medical technician or phlebotomist attempts to collect multiple samples of blood in separate sterile vials, such as "Vacutainer.RTM.", which is a federally registered trademark of the Becton Dickinson Co., or "Monojet.RTM.", which is a federally registered trademark of Sherwood Medical Industries, blood collection tubings. Multiple samples are often necessary when various tests are to be run or when confirmation tests are required. To eliminate patient discomfort from multiple needle sticks, it is desirable to collect a sufficient amount of blood with a single insertion of a phlebotomy needle.
Vacutainer.RTM. tubings, which are evacuated tubings having needle penetrable stoppers inserted therein, are used to collect the blood samples and prevent the blood samples from becoming contaminated. Typically, when blood is to be collected directly from the patient or blood donor some type of flexible tubing having two juxtaposed hollow needles attached thereto is utilized. Located at one end of this tubing is the phlebotomy needle which is inserted into the individual to draw blood and at a second end is the depositing needle used to penetrate the stopper and deposit blood in the vacutainer tubings. Alternatively, when blood samples are collected into vacutainer tubings from a blood donor bag the flexible tubing usually only has one hollow needle which is attached at the depositing end. Regardless of whether the blood is collected directly from the patient or donor or is being transferred from a blood donor bag the depositing needle must be withdrawn and inserted into multiple numbers of stopper sealed tubings in order to collect multiple samples of blood. This repeated transfer of the depositing needle between fluid collection tubings creates multiple opportunities for needle stick injuries to occur. Therefore, it is desirable to minimize the danger of spreading diseases from the patient to the medical professional by precluding the incidence of needle stick injuries during blood sample collection.
Various patents have issued for devices which protect medical professionals from needle stick injuries. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,975 to First et al., discloses a protective shield surrounding a container for a hypodermic needle. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,667 to Pedicano et al., discloses a disposable safety needle sheath which has a funnel shaped entrance to protect the user's hand and guide the needle into the sleeve. There remains, however, a need for an improved safety device such as that of the present invention.